The owner just brought home a 1961 MACK B61 for restoration. The truck is in surprisingly solid shape with very minimal rust, even if the paint has had a hard life.
Technical Details Truck
The cab opens to a work in progress interior. The side windows are already out, and the passenger seat is removed. There is rust on the floor to address. The dash cluster is present, and the odometer shows 61,000 miles. A twin stick sits in the middle. It is a 5 in2 transmission, a 10-speed, with the shift pattern shown. Most of the electrical works, except the turn signals. The roof liner is gone and will need to be made. Battery boxes are on life support.
Outside, the truck wears a long frame that was stretched back many years ago. A second axle was added to make it a tandem, but only one axle is powered. The added axle is a lifter axle that should lift off the ground by a hydraulic cylinder, but it is not working right now. The exhaust has been modified to make it louder. Old style tube tires are still on the truck and the rubber is a little cracked, so all the tires will need to be replaced.
At the front, the air cleaner is an oil bath air cleaner. It holds oil in the bottom and needs oil changes every so often. The truck has shutters with little flaps that open and close to help regulate engine temperature. Under the butterfly hood sits a diesel MACK diesel called a thermod dime. It is naturally aspirated and has no jake brake. It runs very well. On the other side, the intake is visible with a big old Aluminum Intake Manifold, and the oil filter sits inside its housing. There is not much electrical on this truck.
Transformation
For a first look, the restoration has started with teardown and inspection. Windows and the passenger seat are out, rust spots and wiring issues are noted, and the plan is forming around tires, the lifter axle, and the interior. The engine already runs very well, which sets a strong foundation.
Fun Fact
The cab is described as ultra spacious, then immediately, not at all. Under the removed passenger seat sat a mega rots Nest that was, in the owner’s words, kind of gross.
Technical From Catalog Data
- Production: 1953–1966 (B Series)
- Engine: Mack Thermodyne Diesel ENDT-673 (inline 6-cylinder)
- Displacement: 11 L (673 cu in)
- Power: approx. 170–211 hp (depending on version)
- Torque: approx. 600–800 Nm
- Transmission: 5-speed or 10-speed (Twin Stick)
- Drivetrain: 4×2 or 6×4
- Curb weight: ~7–8 tons
- GVWR: up to 23–25 tons
- Cab: steel, classic “bulldog” design with butterfly hood
- Signature detail: Mack Bulldog hood ornament
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A locked Cummins, a frozen cab, and a tree growing through the frame make this 4070 revival one brutal challenge.